Ever feel like giving up music?

[scooter]

Try to look at it the way I (as a gutarist) do--Clapton can't do what EVH can do, but Eric's doin fine, probably doesn't have to worry about geting a REAL job    Keep at it...

[mike8902]

Please guys don't ever give up because you're all so fucking brilliant. I thoroughly enjoy listening to all of your music. I sit up and cry everynight listening and listening and listening

[b.dfzo]

I would cry, too,  if I was listening to the music I've made...lol.  Bad joke.

[Vega-Table Man]

Feeling the intimidation of others is just an aspect to what I guess is an insecurity I have with myself. It's often simply seeing people with such direction with their own music/careers/lives whereas I (self-imposed) have hardly any. That of course can get a person down for some time. Sometimes I find myself so incapable of "lightening up" and joking around with people whom I haven't know for a long time. Inside though i'm a chatty little person, though this will never leave my head when i'm with a group of people. This side of my personality while able to be fixed is a major bummer for lack of a better word. There are attempts i've made to be as social and outgoing as possible but those attempts are often shot down by similar insecurities that get me. A good nap usually takes care of that though to be honest. I'll find my body forcing me into sleep when i'm upset, almost as if it's the only way to get over that feeling.

Wow, this is a paragraph I could have written ... I think I know how you feel.

As far as giving up making music ... I have been thinking about this a lot lately. Over the past few years, I've found it increasingly difficult to summon the energy and interest necessary to make any home recordings (or even get as far as writing a song). It used to be great fun and therapeutic for me, but I don't find that to be the case lately. It does seem more like a chore.

I do wonder if the solo overdubbing approach (which I've done since I was a teenager) has a lot to do with this. I think the opportunity to work with other musicians would definitely excite me and get me more into it.

[Reverend Joshua Sloane]

I've given up. Gave up months ago. 

Other things have shown themselves which have taken on a bit more importance to me personally. Music is a fantastic career for the right people though. I think there is a point however where the dream does die, and those who aren't fit for it fall in the back like I did. Take that as hope though, because there are many people naturally inclined to music and creativity.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

At one point I felt like giving up, but these days we are on a big songwriting streak. Besides, now we're starting to get offers from local labels, but haven't seen anything that sounds like a good deal (one wanted ownership of our copyrights).

[Reverend Joshua Sloane]

http://www.negativland.com/albini.html  This is not a fun read.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Thank you for posting that. It reminds me of why we are not shopping demos around to any majors right now. I mean, we could , and we might even get some interest (not likely), but it wouldn't be worth it.

That said, I do want to get something going soon. I mean, so far the highlight of our "career" is Taylor Hanson likes our stuff. I mean, that's cool, and I'm grateful for the compliment, but it's not putting money in my wallet just yet.

Sad. It always comes down to money, doesn't it?

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

These A & R guys are not allowed to write contracts. What they do is present the band with a letter of intent, or "deal memo," which loosely states some terms, and affirms that the band will sign with the label once a contract has been agreed on. The spookiest thing about this harmless sounding little memo, is that it is, for all legal purposes, a binding document. That is, once the band signs it, they are under obligation to conclude a deal with the label. If the label presents them with a contract that the band don't want to sign, all the label has to do is wait. There are a hundred other bands willing to sign the exact same contract, so the label is in a position of strength. These letters never have any terms of expiration, so the band remain bound by the deal memo until a contract is signed, no matter how long that takes. The band cannot sign to another laborer or even put out its own material unless they are released from their agreement, which never happens. Make no mistake about it: once a band has signed a letter of intent, they will either eventually sign a contract that suits the label or they will be destroyed.

That right there is required reading. I didn't know about that....

[Aegir]

Wow, that sucks. But now you're famous!

Nonetheless, I'm going to write "DON'T SIGN THE DEAL MEMO" in various places all over so I can ingrain that in my head.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Hell, I just titled a new song as such.

[Chris Brown]

As far as giving up making music ... I have been thinking about this a lot lately. Over the past few years, I've found it increasingly difficult to summon the energy and interest necessary to make any home recordings (or even get as far as writing a song). It used to be great fun and therapeutic for me, but I don't find that to be the case lately. It does seem more like a chore.

I do wonder if the solo overdubbing approach (which I've done since I was a teenager) has a lot to do with this. I think the opportunity to work with other musicians would definitely excite me and get me more into it.

I totally know what you mean Vega-Table Man.  The past 8 or 9 months I've felt the same exact way, and it is incredibly frustrating.  I'm so used to being motivated to write and record all the time, but now I rarely do either, and pretty much all studio time is spent just playing songs on the piano.  On the rare occasion I get a good idea for a song, I don't get past a verse or chorus and then I just lose interest and drop it.  Maybe I'm just too critical, since lately it seems like everything I write sucks, but this never used to be a problem (at least until after I finished the song).  And then there are the songs that I have managed to finish, or almost finish...I can't even get movitated to record them.  Like you said, it feels like a chore now, rather than a therapeutic outlet.  I used to love recording, even if it took hours and hours to get it right.  Now I just don't have the patience for it.  It's really weird.  It happened very suddenly too (although I think losing my girlfriend last November may have had something to do with it, since before it happened I had been writing like crazy for an album I was going to give to her for Christmas).

I think the solo aspect of it is definitely a factor...so often I wish I had a group of musicians or singers that I could just teach parts to and let them do the rest.  If I have a song that requires lots of overdubs, it just seems like such a pain to have to sit down and do them all one by one.  Again, I used to enjoy this but now I just find it tedious, and I lose patience with it very quickly.  Same with vocal overdubs...I'm such a perfectionist that I want the vocals to be as good as they can be, but the fact that I know this takes time deters me from doing so.  I'm hoping all of this is just a phase and I'll eventually get back into it at some point.  I can totally relate to what you're saying though!

[Vega-Table Man]

I'm hoping all of this is just a phase and I'll eventually get back into it at some point.  I can totally relate to what you're saying though!

I hope it's just a phase too ... for both of us! I think that actually may be possible. Deep down I do seem to assume that one day I'll be able to get back into it again.

It does sound like our experiences are nearly identical. Even as far as writing just a verse or a chorus of a song, and then giving up ... This has been happening to me too. The thing is, I recognize that a few of these fragments actually do have potential, but I still just can't get motivated to finish them.

[shelter]

My advice as an amateur musician with mediocre talent who has however sold a few thousand CDs and played many shows in 7 different countries the last few years:

First of all: homemade demos are useless. Nobody will listen to them.
Second: don't wait around until someone 'discovers' you. People won't come asking for you, not even if you're good.

Save some money and book a few days at a real studio. Send the result to every record label you can think of. Not just the big major labels, also to the small indie labels. If you offer a finished product (a professional recording plus, if possible, professional cover art work) you've got a chance that some low budget indie labels will bite. Cause record labels are lazy, they'll do as little as possible so they like it when people offer them a finished product. So far this has worked for every single band I've ever been in. And if this doesn't work, release it yourself! Having 500 or 1000 CD's professionally pressed isn't really that expensive anymore. Maybe that doesn't sound very glamorous, but it's a start and it beats waiting around for something to happen.

Good luck.

[scooter]

Feeling the intimidation of others is just an aspect to what I guess is an insecurity I have with myself. It's often simply seeing people with such direction with their own music/careers/lives whereas I (self-imposed) have hardly any. That of course can get a person down for some time. Sometimes I find myself so incapable of "lightening up" and joking around with people whom I haven't know for a long time. Inside though i'm a chatty little person, though this will never leave my head when i'm with a group of people. This side of my personality while able to be fixed is a major bummer for lack of a better word. There are attempts i've made to be as social and outgoing as possible but those attempts are often shot down by similar insecurities that get me. A good nap usually takes care of that though to be honest. I'll find my body forcing me into sleep when i'm upset, almost as if it's the only way to get over that feeling.

Wow, this is a paragraph I could have written ... I think I know how you feel.

As far as giving up making music ... I have been thinking about this a lot lately. Over the past few years, I've found it increasingly difficult to summon the energy and interest necessary to make any home recordings (or even get as far as writing a song). It used to be great fun and therapeutic for me, but I don't find that to be the case lately. It does seem more like a chore.

I do wonder if the solo overdubbing approach (which I've done since I was a teenager) has a lot to do with this. I think the opportunity to work with other musicians would definitely excite me and get me more into it.

So there are people who feel the way I do...my two cents--take  a break, don't quit completely...and I don't think being a local legend would be all that bad...if you're playing Music, and people like it and you're not working in a grocery store, what's the problem?  If you really really wanna be the next (fill in the blank) that's OK, get in line...I would be perfectly satisfied with hometown sucess...on a personal note (no pun intended) I would LOVE to give up the grocery store...I am primarily a musician rather than a songwriter, but a talented one, so I've been told--no I wasn't standing in front of a mirror...If I could, I'd ask God to take away my drumming chops and make me a songwriter...as long as I could stil play guitar and bass and sing harmony... but I haven't given up TRYING to write songs...maybe that's my point--this is way more than two cents, innit ? DON'T GIVE UP--take a break,recharge your batteries...if this talent we have IS God given (dunno how else to explain MY [self-taught] ability)  then we probably shouldn't throw it away...

[Aegir]

I honestly don't know how anyone could "give up" music.. I love writing songs and playing my guitar. Even if I were to get completely demoralized that I was never going to make it big (even if I was good enough), I wouldn't stop writing and playing.

Would I like to be in a band that played live often and recorded albums, whose members catered to my every whim? Of course. Would I like to play stadiums and be on the radio and be adored by young girls all over the world? HELL YES! But will the fact that none of that will probably ever happen be enough to make me stop doing what I love? Absolutely not.

[Reverend Joshua Sloane]

For me it's like the whole Syd Barret thing.

When I think about my own music that I've made it's just like a bad dream.

[PMcC]

For me, it's like a Brian thing. Only one third of what I write and produce will ever be heard. And it's also like a Bach thing, where I won't find fame and fortune until 30 years after my death,,,

[richardsnow]

I'm having a "feel like giving up" week this week.

After we played the IPO in May I was on a high. We went down well, every one dug it. We came out 4th in the top bands of the festival out of over 100.

Then on Sunday we supported Snow Patrol.
Although we went down well. I could see that we confused a lot of people by singing harmonies and using falsetto vocals and melodic basslines.   
The trend at the moment seems to be to do a 8 quaver beats in a bar bass line of the same note repeated. ( i.e bass lines my baby son could play. )
with a simple repeated guitar motif fitted on the top.   
Despite playing infront of over 1000 people we sold 3 albums. pretty soul destroying.

I'll carry on though , what can you do?

[Don't Back Down]

Every now and then I feel like giving up music, but I realize I'm only 19 and have my whole life ahead of me to work on it and eventually make something that I'm proud of. Whether it gets heard by a large crowd, small crowd, or just to finally please myself. Meanwhile while I have the opportunity in college to do home recordings, perform Jazz music, Classical music, getting together with my buddies playing and writing this gives me more inspiration to continue on. There are occasions when I come across someoone "better" than me (especially at school) I tend to find myself wanting to give up, but I just need to keep on practicing and perfecting my craft.

[matt-zeus]

I'm having a "feel like giving up" week this week.

After we played the IPO in May I was on a high. We went down well, every one dug it. We came out 4th in the top bands of the festival out of over 100.

Then on Sunday we supported Snow Patrol.
Although we went down well. I could see that we confused a lot of people by singing harmonies and using falsetto vocals and melodic basslines.   
The trend at the moment seems to be to do a 8 quaver beats in a bar bass line of the same note repeated. ( i.e bass lines my baby son could play. )
with a simple repeated guitar motif fitted on the top.   
Despite playing infront of over 1000 people we sold 3 albums. pretty soul destroying.

I'll carry on though , what can you do?

Don't worry, you're much much better than Snow Patrol (No offense if they're your friends but their music is as boring as hell), their music doesn't resonate my brain in any way at all. I can imagine that the majority of their audience (generalising I know) would have quite bland tastes!

[richardsnow]

Don't worry, you're much much better than Snow Patrol (No offense if they're your friends but their music is as boring as hell), their music doesn't resonate my brain in any way at all. I can imagine that the majority of their audience (generalising I know) would have quite bland tastes!

No i'm not keen either. I felt a real loner when they were playing. The whole crowd loved them. And I just stood there and said to my wife, "Why Don't I like this? am I weird?"

[matt-zeus]

I often feel a lot like that when people are raving about the latest NME cover band, I feel like I 'don't get it', but the truth is I don't think I do. A lot of stuff rarely makes me excited and just sounds like watered down versions of stuff which wasn't that good in the first place.

[wind chime]

When I want to give up I end up writing something new anyway....